Combined air muffler and metering valve with replaceable cartridge



Sept. 28, 1965 w. CARLS 3,208,551

COMBINED AIR MUFFLER AND METERING VALVE WITH REPLACEABLE CARTRIDGE FiledNov. 18, 1963 38 I INVENTOR I V W/u/AM cmus 1 I if BY ATTOR/VIVS UnitedStates Patent 3,208,551 COMBINED AIR MUFFLER AND METERING VALVE WITHREPLACEABLE CARTRIDGE William Carls, Highland, Mich. Filed Nov. 18,1963, Ser. No. 324,304 3 Claims. (Cl. 18136) This invention relates to amufller device and more particularly to a mufiler for use inair-operated equipment.

It is a peculiar characteristic of air-controlled equipment that thebetter the valve, that is, the sharper its operation, the more noise itmay make when it exhausts a high pressure supply of air. Accordingly, inan area Where there may be a lot of air valve controls, it is desirableto have a muffler device for reducing the noise which would otherwise bedisturbing to those working in the area.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact, small,simple and economical mufiler device so constructed that it may beadapted for use either as a straight mufller or as a mufiier andmetering device. Parts are so devised that they can be adapted for bothpurposes.

It is another object of the invention to provide a unit of this kindwhich can be easily assembled and disassembled and in which parts can bereplaced if desired.

Other objects and features of the invention relating to details ofconstruction and operation will be apparent in the following descriptionand claims.

Drawings accompany the disclosure and the various views thereof may bebriefly described as:

FIGURE 1, a view partially in section of the device showing the relationof the parts in connection with a combined mufiler and metering device.

FIGURE 2, a circuit drawing in which the device is used.

FIGURE 3, a sectional view on line 3--3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4, a view partially in section showing a device used as a muflieronly.

FIGURE 5, a sectional view on line 55 of FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 6,- an elevation of a modified outer shell construction.

In FIGURE 2, a cylinder has an operating piston 12 with a rod 14operated by a valve 16 shown diagrammatically with an operating handle18. Pressure from a source 20 is directed through conduits 22 and 24 tothe respective ends of the cylinder. An exhaust port at valve block 16has fitted therein a muffler unit 26 so that when the piston is to bereversed, any air load thereon will be exhausted through the muffler 26and thus the noise of the exhaust is reduced to a minimum.

In FIGURE 1, a sectional view in approximately actual size of a combinedmufiler metering device is shown, this structure comprising a threadednipple element 28 having an octagonal nut formation 30 thereon and anintegral threaded body portion 32. A tube 34 threaded at one end isthreadingly received in the nipple to form a reduced neck portionextending axially and forming a central bore 36 which connects to theopening 38 in the nipple portion 28, the nipple portion being suitablythreaded exteriorly to be received in a tapped hole in the valve body orotherwise connected to a valve outlet.

Mounted on the threaded body portion 32 is a tubular shell 40 having atone end a threaded inner surface 42 which co-operates with the threadson the outside of body 32. The cylindrically shaped shell 40 has axialslits 44 spaced around the shell to provide air outlets. The outer endof the shell 40 is formed inwardly at 46 to create a ice threaded recess48 concentric with the shell. This recess terminates short of the end ofthe tube 34. Threaded into the recess 48 is a cone-shaped screw 50having a portion which can project into the end 52 of the tube 34 toclose off this endor restrict it to any degree desired. The cone-shapedscrew 50 has a lock nut 54 which bears against the end 46 to insure afixed position of the screw.

Confined within the shell 40 is a cylindrical cartridge 60, thiscartridge having a relatively large central opening of greater diameterthan the outer diameter of the tube 34. The outer diameter of thecartridge is essentially the same as the inner diameter of the shell 40so that the cartridge slips-inside the shell and underlies the slits 44.The cartridge is then confined axially between the body portion 32 andthe inturned portion 46. This cartridge is formed of a porous material.One example may be a rolled screen material wherein the screen is of avery fine mesh. This cylinder may also be formed of a porouscellularmaterial which will pass air.

It will readily be seen that the shell 40 can be removed to permitreplacement of the cartridges 60 in the event they become clogged withdirt particles or oil. It will also be seen that the annular orificeformed by the screw 50 and the end of the tube 34 can be adjusted tocreate a metering eifect in the event it is desirable to'control thepiston 12, for example, in moving in one direction or the other. Theentire assembly is small, having an overall length of just over threeinches and a diameter of less than one inch.

In FIGURE 4, a modified structure is shown wherein the nipple 28, thenut portion 30 and the body portion 32 are the same as shown inFIGURE 1. In this case, the tube 34 is omitted and a shell portion 70forming the body of the muffler has an interior thread 72 at an openedend portion to co-operate with the thread 32. The other end 74 of theshell 70 is closed. This shell has slits 76 for air release and acartridge 78 confined within the shell can be the same as cartridge 60of FIGURE 1. The nipple 28 has an interior passage 38 as previouslydescribed. This device can be-used also in the exhaust port of the valve16 where no metering effect is desired.

In FIGURE 6, a modified shell 80 mounted in the usual manner on nipple28 has staggered short circumferential slots 82 spaced along and aroundits length and circumference to serve as air outlets.

It will thus be seen that with a single nipple unit as a base, there canbe provided either a metering muffler exhaustdevice with the use of theinsertable tube 34 or a relatively unrestricted muffler exhaust device.

What I claim is:

1. An air mufiier construction comprising:

(a) a threaded nipple adapted to be connected to a valve outletincluding a body having a central passage,

(b) a threaded portion on the body of said nipple,

(c) a cylindrical shell having an interior threaded portion at one openend thereof to cooperate with said threaded portion on the body of saidnipple to join the nipple and the shell together,

(d) an air restricting cartridge confined within said shell between oneend thereof and said body portion of said nipple having its outersurface lying against the inner surface of the shell,

(e) restricted air passages formed in said shell overlying spacedportions of the outer surface of said cartridge, the other end of saidshell opposite the open end having a threaded recess concentric withsaid shell,

(f) a tube extending axially into said shell from said central passage,and

(g) a screw in said threaded recess having one end adjacent one end ofsaid tube extending from the central passage of said nipple, said screwbeing adjustable to permit predetermined restriction of said passage.

2 An air muffier construction comprising:

(a) a threaded nipple to be received in a tapped hole of a valve blockand including a body,

(b) a threaded portion on. the body of said nipple, said body beingextended axially in a tubular neck portion extending away from thethreaded. nipple,

(c) a cylindrical shell, having an open end threaded onto said threadedportion of said. body and overlying said neck portion, said shell havinga plurality of restricted openings through the wall thereof,

(d) a metering cartridge concentric. with said. shell and said neckportion, spaced from said neck portion, and having its outer walls. inproximity to the inner walls of said shell, and

(e) a metering screw threaded in the other end of said shell oppositethe open end having a portion concentric with and projectable into anend of said neck portion to create a metering restriction adjustable toa predetermined size depending on the axial position of said screw.

3. A small and compact air mufiler construction comprising:

(a) a nipple having an interior bore threaded at one end and a threadedexterior extension at each end, (b) a hollow shell open at one end andinteriorly threaded at said open end to cooperate with one 4 exteriorlythreaded end of said nipple, and having spaced wall slits distributedaround its surface,

(0) an air restricting cartridge confined within said shell between oneend thereof and said nipple having an outer surface underlying said Wallslits,

(d) an open-ended tube threaded into the said interior bore of saidnipple within said shell, and

(e) means on said shell adjustably positioned to. control the size ofthe opening of said tube away from said nipple.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 291,762 1/84Nason 181-60 822,127 5/06 Hufnagel 181-60 1,113,410 10/14 Cofiill 181-641,127,250 2/15 Humm 181-71 1,257,134 2/18 Shivers 181-36 1,824,078 9/ 3l Fischer. 2,514,996 7/50 Faust 18-1-55 2,962,110 11/60 Depman 181-363,137,365 6/64 Bingel 181-7 1 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,269,772 7/ 61 France.

22,089 1907 Great Britain.

LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

1. AN AIR MUFFLER CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING: (A) A THREADED NIPPLE ADAPTEDTO BE CONNECTED TO A VALVE OUTLET INCLUDING A BODY HAVING A CENTRALPASSAGE, (B) A THREADED PORTION ON THE BODY OF SAID NIPPLE, (C) ACYLINDRIAL SHELL HAVING AN INTERIOR THREADED PORTION AT ONE OPEN ENDTHEREOF TO COOPERATE WITH SAID THREADED PORTION ON THE BODY OF SAIDNIPPLE TO JOIN THE NIPPLE AND THE SHELL TOGETHER, (D) AN AIR RESTRICTINGCARTRIDGE CONFINED WITHIN SAID SHELL BETWEEN ONE END THEREOF AND SAIDBODY PORTION OF SAID NIPPLE HAVING ITS OUTER SURFACE LYING AGAINS THEINNER SURFACE OF THE SHELL, (E) RESTRICTED AIR PASSAGES FORMED IN SAIDSHELL OVERLYING SPACED PORTIONS OF THE OUTER SURFASCE OF SAID CARTRIDGE,THE OTHER END OF SAID SHELL OPPOSITE THE OPEN END HAVING A THREADEDRECESS CONCENTRIC WITH SAID SHELL, (F) A TUBE EXTENDING AXIALLY INTOSAID SHELL FROM SAID CENTRAL PASSAGE, AND (G) A SCREW IN SAID THREADEDRECESS HAVING ONE END ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID TUBE EXTENDING FROM THECENTRAL PASSAGE OF SAID NIPPLE, SAID SCREW BEING ADJUSTABLE TO PERMITPREDETERMINED RESTRICTION OF SAID PASSAGE.